Viewers are treated to a fest of  national costumes at the 2017 edition of the Miss Universe pageant on Monday at the Mall of Asia Arena in Manila, Philippines

Miss France, 24-year-old Iris Mittenaere beat Miss Haiti [Raquel Pelissier] and Miss Colombia [Andrea Tovar], First and second runner-ups to clinch Miss Universe title

Miss France Iris Mittenaere was crowned Miss Universe 2017

Miss Universe 2017 – Miss France,  Iris Mittenaere in national costume

Philosophical, yet resplendent in her gold-sequined gown,, 24-year-old dental surgery student Iris Mittenaere beat 12 other finalists to take the crown at the 2017 edition of the Miss Universe Pageant. As Miss Universe, she will be campaigning for dental and oral care around the world.
“This sash is not only a sash,” said Mittenaere, who is from Northern France, in a Miss Universe interview after the pageant. “This is something to help people, to understand people.”
Iris Mittenaere beat Miss Haiti [Raquel Pelissier] and Miss Colombia [Andrea Tovar] to clinch Miss Universe title

Miss Universe 2017 – Miss France, Iris Mittenaere [right] and 1st runner-up Miss Haiti, Raquel Pelissier [left]

Jenny Kim, Miss South Korea in her national costume

Keity Drenan of Panama in national costume

Zari Nakzawa of Japan

The top finalists representing Kenya, Indonesia, Mexico, Peru, Panama, Colombia, Philippines, Canada, Brazil, France, Haiti, Thailand and the U.S. displayed a colorful range and imaginative, if sometimes extravagant outfits.
They contestants in the Miss Universe pageant, meant to showcased a puzzling array of outfits, micro expose′s of national cultures, best left to the interpretation of the viewers.

Deshauna Barber of the United States

Li ZhenYing,  Miss China was quite elegant in her outfit

For this year’s preliminary event, Miss Sweden Ida Ovmar portrayed a sexy milkmaid with Pippi Longstocking, the childrens fairytale character, created by the late Swedish author Astrid Lindgren, who has a knack for hoisting horses above her head.

Noelia Feire of Spain

Brenda Jimenez of Puerto Rico – strutting peacock

Miss Myanmar Htet Htet Htun made her costume appearance  as a complete puppet show come-to-life, with a wide stage and haunting greenery. Rather than strutting down the runway, she plopped down, opened up her curtains and performed a traditional Burmese dance that looked like a version of the “the robot,” with a puppeteer pulling the invisible strings.
Miss Vietnam, He Lang, was vision of a peasant fisherman emerging from a forest of oblong baskets

Miss Vietnam, He Lang

Ida Ovmar,  Miss Sweden. The milk maid character hoists her horse above her head

Htet Htet Htun of Myanmar and her mobile puppet show

Johanna Acs of Germany wore a replica of a castle as a headdress

2nd Runner-up Andrea Tovar of Colombia in national coutume

Rebecca Kathleen Rath from Belize 

Kezia Warouw of Indonesia

Miss Universe 2017, contestants appear in swimsuit  

Miss Universe 2017 contestants strut the stage  in ball gowns